Drees Homes opens sixth community in Carmel
By · CommentsThe grand opening of Stafford Place, located off 146th Street, marks Drees Homes’ sixth community to open in Carmel, IN. “Our decision to build Stafford Place is a testament not only to the Company’s financial strength to open new communities, but also to our faith in believing that Carmel continues to be among the top locations in Indiana where families prefer to live,” said Division President Steve Masuccio. “Best of all, with its secluded setting and east Carmel location minutes from Clay Terrace, Stafford Place offers two advantages many buyers want: privacy and convenience,” added Masuccio.
Drees worked hand-in-hand with the City of Carmel to preserve as many trees as possible, and augment the mature trees by adding new trees and plantings around the perimeter and interior of neighborhood. Stafford Place features a distinctive entryway and a portfolio of Tuscan-inspired homes. With just 53 home sites, Drees’ Stafford Place community offers an intimate residential setting and a 3-acre wooded park with walking trails. To date, the company has taken three lot reservations and sold two homes during a preconstruction sales period; prices start at $450,000.
Besides Stafford Place, Drees continues to build in Carmel at Village Green, a Brownstone-inspired townhome community bordering the Monon Trail, and Lakeside Park, situated off Towne Road. Drees also built and completed The Lakes at Hazel Dell, Shelborne Park, and Kingsborough in Carmel, IN.
“It’s the time and place to buy a new home,” said Masuccio. “With interest rates still at historic lows, great incentives, and the chance to choose the home site you want most, now is the perfect time to build your dream home.”
Drees’ model homes are open seven days a week, Monday through Friday
1 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. For sales information about Stafford Place, please call 317-569-1080 or visit www.dreeshomes.com.
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is coming to Indiana to surprise one deserving family with a brand new custom-built home. Hallmark Homes, based in Anderson, Ind., will build the home and is coordinating partnership, donations and volunteers.
“We are honored to be selected by Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. We look forward to building the home of their dreams in 106 hours flat,” says Paul Schwinghammer, president of Hallmark Homes. “It’s gratifying to know that we can help make a positive difference for a Hoosier family.”
It’s not just the family who will have a positive experience. “The real excitement comes in knowing how much the people who volunteer on this project will be changed,” says Derek Wilder, Hallmark Homes CEO. “It’s a great thing to be part of something bigger than yourself.”
Five families are being considered throughout the region and Ty Pennington, the star of the show, will show up on the doorstep of the selected family on Oct. 21.
Hoosiers will be able to visit the site during the build and to volunteer to help. More information is available at www.hallmarkextreme.com.
Businesses and community partners have already signed up to be part of the project. Anderson University is mobilizing students, faculty, staff and alumni to help make one family’s dream come true. Other partners include: Carter Lumber, Bilt Best Windows, Reese Wholesale, Climate Master, JN Stone, Modern Trailer Sales, Blakely’s Flooring, Madison Millwork, Schneider Electric and Ball State University.
A special Web site, www.hallmarkextreme.com, launches today to provide around the clock updates during the 106-hour race to the finish.
Hansen & Horn Oktoberfest aids homelessness
By · CommentsJoin the REALTOR Foundation at Hansen & Horn’s residential development at Anson for an evening of food, friends and fun on Wednesday, October 7 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. A minimum $10 donation at the door includes: silent auction, authentic German fare, and live German music & entertainment.
All proceeds help the Foundation’s fight against homelessness in our community.
RSVP to mollyhahn@realtorfoundation.com.
We have been seeing encouraging signs that the housing market and the U.S. economy are beginning to stabilize, but it’s far too early to celebrate. Locally I have been told that 60 percent of today’s home sales are to first time home buyers as a direct result of the $8,000 tax credit. Unfortunately that credit expires November 30th leaving the housing market with an uncertain outlook.
Unemployment is expected to continue rising. The best forecast economists have to offer is that the economy will stop contracting; but it will be a long, slow crawl back to health following the most devastating recession since World War II.
Housing is the best opportunity for putting this country back to work. We urge Congress to extend today’s $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers for another year and making it available to all buyers.
Home construction is a powerful economic engine. Already the 2,455 permits issued in the nine-county Central Indiana area have created $421 million in local revenue, $40 million in local taxes and 6,432 jobs.
One of the best things that Congress can do to restore a full-fledged recovery is to work to restore the health of the housing industry.
For more information and to join the coalition of housing industry professionals calling for a renewal of the tax credit, go online to www.FixHousingFirst.com.
Dan Wolf, Bedrock Builders
2009 President, Builders Association of Greater Indianapolis
Hancock County New Home Tour Begins September 19
By · CommentsThe eleventh annual Hancock County New Home Tour will be held September 19, 20, 26 and 27. Tour hours are noon to five p.m. each day. There is no charge for admission.
The Hancock County New Home Tour features 14 homes plus one new home development ranging in price from $150,000 to $795,000, appealing to first-time, move-up, and empty nester buyers alike. A member of the Builders Association of Greater Indianapolis, who has agreed to adhere to the Quality Assurance Builder Standards, has built each home.
Builders and developers in this year’s show are: Boulder Creek, Dan Cameron Builder Inc., Dave Sego Builders, Epcon Communities, George M. Sherman Inc., Howell Custom Homes, P & W Builders, Premier Homes, Rowe & Campbell Inc., Westport Homes Inc, Mitford Homes, and Justus Homes.
A panel of realtors from the MIBOR Hancock County Division toured the homes last week and today announced the following award winners at the Hancock County Builders Council meeting.
Homes priced $150,000 – $224,999
1st – Epcon Communities – 1157 Remarkable Place
2nd – Justus Homes – 1602 Leisure Way
Homes priced $225,000 – $424,999
1st – Howell Custom Homes – 1881 Philadelphia Pass
2nd – Dave Sego Builders, Inc. – 1297 Morningside Drive
Homes priced $425,000 +
1st – Dave Sego Builders – 2263 W. Stoneridge Trail
2nd – George M. Sherman Inc. – 332 Edwards Cove
Homes were also recognized in the following categories:
Best Kitchen: Dan Cameron Builder Inc. – 4395 Lookout Blvd.
Best Master Bath: P&W Builders – 3327 S. Overlook Pass
Best Curb Appeal: George M. Sherman Inc. – 332 Edwards Cove
Best Outdoor Living Space: Dave Sego Builders, Inc. – 1297 Morningside Drive
For a map to the homes and more information go online to www.HancockCountyBuilders.com or call 317-236-6330.
The Hancock County Builders Council, an affiliate of the Builders Association of Greater Indianapolis, sponsors the Hancock County New Home Tour.
Jerrod Klein of M/I Homes accepts the People's Choice award from New Home Showcase chairman Randy McKnight of Truss Manufacturing Co.
Visitors to the New Home Showcase at the Lakes at Towne Road in Carmel have selected M/I Homes as the People’s Choice award winner. The New Home Showcase features five gorgeous homes priced from $350,000 to $550,000. Visiting the show is a great chance to gather design, decorating, and landscaping ideas – or shop for a new home. The show continues through September 7. For more information go online to www.IndyNewHomeShowcase.com.
New Home Showcase Awards Announced
By · CommentsOn the eve of the opening of the 2009 New Home Showcase three builders have won awards from their peers. An awards committee of out-of-area builders, designers, landscapers and architects viewed the finished homes earlier in the week. Awards, as follows, were given at the association’s VIP party August 21, 2009.
Best Curb Appeal
Silverthorne Homes
Best Landscaping
M/I Homes
Best Outdoor Living
M/I Homes
Best Interior Design
Executive Homes
Michele Boggs of MB Designs
Best Master Suite
Executive Homes
Best Lower Level
Silverthorne Homes
Best of Show
Executive Homes
Builders Association
Member Appreciation Award*
(tie) Executive Homes
Silverthorne Homes
*presented to the builder who uses the most Builders Association members in the construction of the home
The Indiana Chapter of the National Kitchen and Bath Association also presented two awards named in memory of Dale R. Long. Best Kitchen and Best Master Bath was awarded to Executive Homes.
The Indianapolis Chapter of the American Institute of Architects recognized M/I Homes for Best Design. This award encompasses best use of materials, space plan layout and functionality along with best integration of space plan and exterior.
The New Home Showcase at the Lakes at Towne Road runs from August 22 through September 7. Again this year, a portion of the proceeds from all Builders Association shows benefits the Indiana Ronald McDonald House. The Lakes at Towne Road is a Jett Property Group development.
New Home Showcase hours are: Monday through Thursday – 4 to 9 p.m.; Friday through Sunday – noon to 9 p.m. Hours for Labor Day are noon to 6 p.m. Admission to the New Home Showcase is $12 per adult, $6 for children 12 to 5, children 4 and under are free. The ticket booth closes one hour before the homes close. Advance tickets are available online.
Driving directions to the New Home Showcase are: From I-465 take the Michigan Road exit. Head north on Michigan Road to 116th St. Turn right (or east) onto 116th St, continuing through the traffic circle. Turn left (or north) on Towne Road. Follow Towne Road to 136th St. and the community entrance.
For more information about New Home Showcase, visit www.IndyNewHomeShowcase.com
August 19, 2009 – Bolstered by affordable interest rates and low prices, nationwide housing affordability during the second quarter of 2009 continued to hover near its highest level since the series began 18 years ago, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index (HOI) released today.
The HOI showed that 72.3 percent of all new and existing homes sold in the second quarter of 2009 were affordable to families earning the national median income of $64,000, down only slightly from the record-high 72.5 percent during the previous quarter and up from 55.0 percent during the second quarter of 2008.
“The increase in affordability — along with the $8,000 federal tax credit for home buyers — is stimulating demand, particularly among young, first-time buyers,” said NAHB Chairman Joe Robson, a home builder from Tulsa, Okla. “But to keep the recent upturn in home sales going into next year, Congress will need to extend the tax credit for another year and make it available to all buyers in an effort to encourage activity in the trade-up market.”
Robson noted that the tax credit, which expires on Nov. 30, is currently limited to just buyers purchasing their first home.
Indianapolis, once again, was the most affordable major housing market in the country during the second quarter. Almost 95 percent of all homes sold were affordable to households earning the area’s median family income of $68,100. Indianapolis has now topped the affordability list 16 consecutive quarters.
Also near the top of the list of the most affordable major metro housing markets were Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, Ohio-Pa.; Detroit-Livonia-Dearborn, Mich.; Dayton, Ohio; and Grand Rapids-Wyoming, Mich.
Several smaller housing markets posted even higher affordability scores than Indianapolis, with Kokomo, Ind. outscoring all others. There, almost 98 percent of homes sold during the second quarter of 2009 were affordable to median-income earners. Other small housing markets ahead of Indianapolis on the affordability scale included Lansing-East Lansing, Mich.; Mansfield, Ohio; Elkhart-Goshen, Ind.; Lima, Ohio; and Bay City, Mich.
New York-White Plains-Wayne, N.Y.-N.J., where just over 21 percent of all homes sold during the period were affordable to those earning the median income of $64,800, was once again the nation’s least affordable major housing market in the second quarter. This was the New York metro area’s fifth consecutive appearance at the bottom of the list. Other major metro areas near the bottom of the affordability chart included San Francisco; Honolulu; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, Calif.; and Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, Calif.
Among smaller metro areas, San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, Calif. was the least affordable market, followed by Ocean City, N.J.; Santa Cruz-Watsonville, Calif.; Flagstaff, Ariz.; and Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta, Calif., respectively.
Please visit www.nahb.org/hoi for tables, historic data and details.
New Home Showcase starts August 22
By · CommentsThe Builders Association of Greater Indianapolis announces the New Home Showcase takes place at the Lakes at Towne Road from August 22 through September 7. Again this year, a portion of the proceeds from all Builders Association shows benefits the Indiana Ronald McDonald House. The Lakes at Towne Road is a Jett Property Group development.
The New Home Showcase features five beautiful homes priced from $350,000 to $550,000. Especially built for the show, these homes are constructed by association builders: BiltRite Homes, Executive Homes, M/I Homes, and Silverthorne Homes. The builders themselves will be on hand during the event to discuss their designs and answer questions.
Tour the New Home Showcase homes to see the latest design, technology, decorating and landscaping trends and learn more about the Association’s Quality Assurance Builder Standards.
New Home Showcase hours are: Monday through Thursday – 4 to 9 p.m.; Friday through Sunday – noon to 9 p.m. Hours for Labor Day are noon to 6 p.m. Admission to the New Home Showcase is $12 per adult, $6 for children 12 to 5, children 4 and under are free. The ticket booth closes one hour before the homes close. Advance tickets are available online.
Driving directions to the New Home Showcase are: From I-465 take the Michigan Road exit. Head north on Michigan Road to 116th St. Turn right (or east) onto 116th St, continuing through the traffic circle. Turn left (or north) on Towne Road. Follow Towne Road to 136th St. and the community entrance.
For more information about New Home Showcase, visit www.IndyNewHomeShowcase.com
New Home Showcase Dusty Boots Preview
By · CommentsThe five homes in the New Home Showcase are under construction at The Lakes at Towne Road in Carmel. Mark your calendar for the free Dusty Boots Preview on Sunday, July 12 from Noon to 4 p.m. Its your chance to see the homes before the decorating begins.
Featured builders: BiltRite Homes, Executive Homes, M/I Homes of IN, LP, Scott Homes, LLC and Silverthorne Homes
Driving directions to the New Home Showcase are: From I-465 take the Michigan Road exit. Head north on Michigan Road to 116th St. Turn right (or east) onto 116th St, continuing through the traffic circle. Turn left (or north) on Towne Road. Follow Towne Road to 136th St. and the subdivision entrance.
Street parking available.
